Printing-form.



J. E. GRASSMANN.

V PRINTING FORM. APPLICATION FILED SEPTQZ, 1915.

l 260, 9 7 6. Patented Man 26, 1918. Fair: 1'.

PRINTING-FOR1E Specification o man-sme r. Patented Mar. 2a, 1918.

Application filed September 22, 1916. Serial llo. 121,548.

To all whom it may concern:

I Be it known that 1, JAMES E. GRASSMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Columbia township, in the county of Hamil ton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Forms, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention relates to printing, and its object is to minimize the amount of type metal in printing forms that are to be retained for any'considerable period of time, and more especially in those forms made up of solid lines.

- My invention consists in the combination of parts and in the details of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a printing form embodying my invention, beingrepresented as with the middle parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the 'same;

..Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on a plane corresponding to the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a slde elevation of the same, and r Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on a plane corresponding to the line 55 of Fig. 1.

As I prefer to construct my invention; the solid lines of type 1 are reduced in depth as much as is compatible with the requisite strength, and the provision at the ends of adaquate securing means. As herein shown, the latter provision comprises V-shaped notches 2 opening from the ends of the type-lines or bars 1 inwardly thereof; the depth of the tvne 2 being only suiiicient to leave a lug 3 of meta] below the Vshaped notch which will have the strength to sufli.

cientiy resist displacement of the type-bar in use, when suitable securing means engages above it in the notch. 2; and the bar being of just sutlicient depth to leave a lug 4 above the notch 2. which will afford a sutiicient support for'the type or other printing face adjacent to the respective end of the type-bar.

It'willbe understood that such type-lines or bars 1 as are above described may be made by cutting ofi' the lower parts of typehigh type lines or bars as they are made in solid type-line casting machines, and the notches 2 may be out in the ends by suitable machinery; or the operation of the typeline casting machine may be so altered as to produce initially the type-line or bar of the reduced height, and with the notches 2 formed in its ends in the casting process. Such altered construction and operation of the'machine for this purpose, not being a part of the present invention, need not be further described herein.

If the type-lines or bars be cast type-high, as usual, the first edition of the. work may be printed from them while they are in this condition; and then they may have the surplus metal removed, after it is found that the form is to be retained for printing possible future editions of the work. It will be understood that my invention is ,provided for use in those numerous instances where the contemplated demand for the work does not warrant electrotyping; but, nei 'ertheless, there is a possible demand for limited future editions, whch warrants the retention of the form.

The'type-lines or bars 1, foimed as above described, may be assembled with suitable leads'or slugs 5, also correspondingly reduced in depth andnotched at the ends like the type bars or lines 1.

The composition of this reduced height or depth is then provided with abacking made up of pieces of various widths. such as the pieces 6. 7 and 8 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, after the manner of providing ordinary furniture, These backing strips run at right angles to the type'lines or bars 1, and are of just sutlicientheight to hold the tvpe faces at .the normal type height. This height is usually scvcn-eishths of an inch; it may be stated that the depth of the typeline or bar 1 from the type face to its lower side. may be about one fourth inch; leaving the depth of the backing strips 6, 7 and 8 in this case. five-eio'hts of an inch. It will be understood that the backing may bemade up of a single piece. or more pieces than herein shown. the desired result being the making of the backing conterminous with the type-bars or lines 1 at the sides of the form.

- It will be seen that these dimensions depend upon the width of the column in the work to be printed; and where columns of definite widths are to be provided. for in fre- 'quent, instances. the backing may be carried in stock in single pieces of the required widths; Also. the lengths of the pieces of backing may be determined by the height of the column or page in each instance, and one continuous piece of backing or a number of. pieces making up the required length, may be utilized.

At the top and bottom of the column of composition, slugs 9 are placed, extending up at least 2 in its middle part, and having its end parts 10 of its upper edge beveled to accurately aline with said lower sides of the notches. when the lower edge of the slug is even with the bottom of the backing. The ends of the slugs are conterminous with the ends of .the type-lines or bars 1, and with the sides of the backing. These slugs thus hold the composition together longitudinally of the form.

.Along opposite sides of the form are placed clip-rules 11, each comprising a main, flat, upright part 12, and an upper, narrower, horizontal part 13 at right angles to the part 12. The main part 12 lies flat against the sides of the backing with its lower edge even with thebottom of the backing, and lies along the ends of the lower lugs 3 of the type-lines or bars, with its upper horizontal part 13 extending into the notches 2, and located at exactly the right height to have the edgeof this part 13 engage snugly in the angle or crotch of the V-shaped notch 2 so as to hold the type-line or bar 1 firmly against any upward or lateral displacement.

It will be seen that the thickness of each clip-rule lie outside the respective side of the form; and the column rules, inserted when more than one column is used on a page. will be spaced aw'ayyfrom the endsof the lines the amount of thisthickness. I find that by having the clip-rules of a-thickness of two points, they re of ample strength and give about the right spacing f of the column rules under the above. circumstances.

These clip-rules may be of brass. such as rules are usually made of, and while the lugs 9, as shown, would usually be of type metal, it will be understood that brass rules of the proper width and length, and with their upper corners properly shaped. may be substituted for these slugs; in which case they need not be thicker than the clip-rules 11 at the sides. The backlng may be either of wood, or inexpensive metal, or any other suitable inexpensive material to afford the proper foundation for the type-lines or bars when subjected to the heavy pressure in the printing press.

' The composition, put together as above described. may be held together by any suitble means, for storage until it isto be used again,v as for instance by Wrapping repeatedly around its sides with string. after the manner of printers in temporarily securing together any type composition,

past the lower sides of the notcheswhether of single types or lines of type i This is made feasible. by the provision of the pieces 9 at the ends, as above descrlbed. When the form is to be used for printing, it is properly mounted in the press 1n single column, or with other columns, as the case may be, and locked up the same as any other composition. WVhen so locked up, the type-bars or lines will be held firmly on the1r backing by the clip-rules 11, which latter, of course, will be. held firmly in position for performing this function the usual clamping means aroundthe sitliis of the form.

My invention thus affords a simple means for preserving any composition likely to have a future limited use, with out the disadvantage of storing large quantities of type metal. In a large printing establishment, especially where there are printed books or similar publications, the demand for which is indeterminate at the printin of the initial edition, there is generally the desire to retain the composition pending the outcome lishment. With my invention it will be seen tion of unproductive capital of the estabthat by far the greater proportion of this type metal is either withdrawn or withheld from the compositlon, with the result that thetype metal necessarily used is of such a small amount as to not be objectionable in the above respect, 1n cas it is desirable to retain the work in form for a considerable period of time for the reasons above set forth, or for any other reasons. At the same time, the utility of the form for printing'is in no wise impaired, nor is there any maerial increase in inconvenience of handling it 1n making ready for the next edition.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A printing form comprising'a plurality of separate and distinct single type-lines or bars, each of less than standard-type hei ht, a backing for said lines or bars with p ane upper and lower sides and plane upright s1des and ends,'to hold said bars at said height. each of sam lines or bars having at one end a lug with its upper surface inclmed downwardly out toward the end of the line orbar, clip-rules, each comprising a flat upright part, lying flat along the respective upright side of the backing, and having a part extending inward over and engaging with the inclined n per sides of. the respective lugs, and fiat pieces at the upright ends I of the backing extending up along the sides or lateral movement on said backing, and

of the terminal'lines or bars, and having the whereby Said flat pieces are held against end- 10 end parts of their upper edges inclined to wise or upward movement relative to said aline with the upper sides of said lugs, and backing and said lines or bans.

5 said clip-rules having their inwardly ex- JAMES E. GRASSMANN.

tending parts engaging with these inclined Witnesses: end parts of said fiat pieces, whereby said CLARENCE Pnnunw,

lines or bars are held from upward, endwise EDITH Loxcnmenn. 

